Since the beginning of the modern age of firearms (e.g., rifles), the construction of firearms have been essential to providing long range accuracy. This is most evident looking at the historical evolution of the handgun to the rifle that allowed shooters to extend their range of engagement for personal defense, hunting, target competition, and warfare.
Today's tactical or multi-purpose rifles must adapt to a variety of shooters in adverse environments, conditions, terrains, operational scenarios, and competitive marksmanship events. For example, rifle stocks must be configurable to meet the physical body types of shooters, supplemental equipment (e.g., one or more accessories), demands of the type of shooting performed, and preferences of individual shooters. Fundamental elements of all weapons platforms include, for example, actions, barrels, chasses, and stocks.
The vast majority of designs, especially those for bolt action rifle weapon platforms, have not changed much over the last 50 years. Essentially most rifle stocks are derived in one form or another from target shooting stocks. Some are made lighter and thinner for hunting and others made thicker and heavier for competition. Traditionally made of wood, rifle stocks are the furniture that barreled action receivers are mounted into. Today, wood rifle stocks are being improved with aluminum pillars, epoxy bedding compounds, or simply being totally manufactured of fiberglass, or other composites, all in an effort to sustain or increase accuracy and durability.
While serving their respective purposes, traditional rifle stocks do possess drawbacks. Wood is obviously very beautiful, plentiful, and relatively inexpensive (in utility grades); however it is quite susceptible to damage. Indeed, it will readily absorb water, and is adversely affected by extremes in temperature. Bedding compounds have been brought about as a way to provide a stable “bed” or interface of synthetic material that is less affected by temperature extremes and help to improve accuracy. Bedding, however, must be installed by a qualified gunsmith, maintained and repaired over time, and is affected by cleaning solvents, chemicals, moisture, rough handling and temperature extremes. Fiberglass or composite stocks are much better rifle stocks for protection against the elements, heat and cold, and take bedding compounds well. These types of stocks are expensive, are single purpose, not ergonomically friendly, custom manufactured primarily as an aftermarket item, and suffer from perhaps the largest and most significant drawback—the basic design is still essentially that of a target shooting stock. Rifle shooting disciplines are so many and varied that the traditional rifle stock needs to evolve with the modern applications of the rifle for long range tactical shooting.
Even newer stock innovations in the rifle industry maintain a steadfast hold on the target shooting design legacy. While innovations in materials and improvements in ergonomics indicate that some progress is being made, it is evident that the rifle stock is not being considered as part of an integrated rifle system platform.
What is needed, therefore, are modular user configurable tactical rifles that can be adapted to meet a variety of environmental, operational, and user preference requirements. In addition, what are needed are various types of user-friendly accessories that can aid in providing a weapons platform capable of being configured in many manners. It is to the provision of such tactical rifles, user-friendly accessories, and associated manufacturing methods that the various embodiments of the present invention are directed.